“Hey men, what would you wear to fight? Hint: don’t expose your vital organs,” wrote Jessica Chastain on November 14. She was responding to a wry tweet from Melissa Silverstein, founder of Women and Hollywood, that compared the Amazon warrior costumes in Patty Jenkins’sWonder Woman (designed by Lindy Hemming) to the Amazon warrior costumes in Zack Snyder’sJustice League (designed by Michael Wilkinson, who also created the costumes for Batman v Superman). The former were sturdy, battle-ready combinations of leather and armor; the latter were skimpy outfits that emphasized their wearers’ chests and exposed their washboard abs.

While some might argue that the images shown were cherry-picked, the uproar that ensued highlighted a glaring issue in Hollywood’s depiction of female action heroes: most of the time, they’re not clothed nearly as appropriately as their male counterparts. (Yes, George Clooney’sBatman and Robin costume was decorated with sculpted nipples—but at least his chest was covered.)

Action leads like Xena and Buffy have made great strides in how women are portrayed as warriors, but for years, it seemed that every positive step came with an equal and opposite setback—Halle Berry’sCatwoman; the scrapped 2011 Wonder Woman TV series; films like Sucker Punch in which women attempt to fight in high heels and glorified lingerie. As Cara Delevingne said upon the release of Suicide Squad, another offender: “Generally, though, superhero movies are totally sexist. Female superheroes are normally naked or in bikinis. No one would be able to fight like that.”

But more recently, movies like Wonder Woman and The Force Awakens have laid groundwork for equality in how action stars are presented—and clothed. As Hollywood's post-Weinstein reckoning continues, those efforts matter even more; as Michael Kaplan, costume designer for The Last Jedi, said this month, “There’s wonderful strong women in this film, much more than we’ve seen ever before in a Star Wars film. And I think it’s reflecting what’s going on [in the news].”

What’s more, costume equality in Hollywood is set to reach new heights in 2018—and beyond. For proof, look no further than this survey of 2017’s greatest female action-hero costumes—and the outfits we’re most looking forward to seeing on screens next year.

Batman v Superman costume designer Michael Wilkinson wanted Wonder Woman to wear something specifically made for battle in the film that introduced the character to the D.C. cinematic universe. Patty Jenkins and Lindy Hemming then upped the ante on his original work in Wonder Woman, drawing inspiration from training armor, ancient cultures, societies run by queens and female warriors, and athletic trends. Hemming wanted her Amazons to be striking and strong, above all else—and she made sure to give them metal breastplates, a nod to mythology, in which Amazons cut off their left breasts to better wield their bow and arrows.

Some of the Amazon warriors can be seen with a special breastplate on their left side, and many also protect themselves with armor on their knees and forearms, as well as metal headdresses. Their skirts are short for the sake of movement, resembling the design of Hoplite soldier wear, or pteruges, leather skirts worn by ancient Greek and Roman soldiers. Wonder Woman herself is no longer the flag-wearing fighter from the years of Lynda Carter but a stunning warrior. Her boots are made to resemble Roman greaves, as others have noted, redesigned from Wilkinson’s original footwear to ensure Diana can move easily in mud and water; her bracelets and tiara now function more as armor as well.

As Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman herself points out while trying on women’s period clothing in the film, “How can a woman possibly fight in this [a corset]?” She can’t. And so she won’t—not anymore.

Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios/LucasFilm.

Rey, Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Though Leia was no stereotypical princess, Carrie Fisher still had to grapple with that gold bikini—a costume the actress openly despised. But her young co-star Daisy Ridley has had more luck in the costume department, wearing a decidedly unglamorous outfit that designer Michael Kaplan intended to be androgynous. Rey's attire is practical fare, suitable for both desert scavenging and Jedi training on a lonely island; no gold bikinis here.

Kaplan, who also designed the influential costumes in the original Blade Runner, tried to avoid gender stereotypes by focusing on the character rather than the actor wearing the costume; nobody had been cast yet when he started designing, he said in a 2015 interview, adding that her costume was made to be practical for a desert-dweller; the gauze can be used to protect from sand, while the flowing fabric doubles as a tunic for cold nights. Parts of her costume also imply her cleverness: Rey’s goggles, for instance, are clearly created from an old Stormtrooper helmet and other scraps.

As Rey transcends her old life in The Last Jedi, her costume takes on a new form as well. In this film, Kaplan points out that Rey is clothed in a warrior-like silhouette with soft armor. Her predecessor, Leia, also takes a turn from her old princess outfits in The Last Jedi, where she sports both elegant jewelry and a structured military cape.

From BBC America.

The New Doctor, Doctor Who

First conceived in 1963 and portrayed by William Hartnell, the Doctor is a centuries-old alien, a Time Lord, who regenerates regularly. This means the Doctor has been played by many different actors throughout the years, all wearing outfits that are lively and practical—lots of coats and suits, as well as pragmatic shoes for running.

The newest Doctor, played by Jodie Whittaker, takes inspiration from classic Whovian style, while maintaining must-haves like those sensible boots. Designer Ray Holman’s new costume incorporates suspenders and a long coat as a reference to past Doctors, though Whittaker does get one new feature: a set of earrings. Though British Vogue called the costume too gender-neutral for a female body, it proves the character isn’t defined by gender; this costume is for the Doctor, lady or not.

Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios.

The Women of Black Panther

Ruth E. Carter has created costumes for iconic films including Do the Right Thing, Amistad, and Selma, as well as the 2016 TV remake of the classic mini-series Roots. For Black Panther’s Wakandan warriors—bodyguards, queens, and role models, including Lupita Nyong’o’s Nakia and Danai Gurira’s Okoye, she has said she blended imagery from the original comic books with tribal influences and high fashion. “We are creating that world, and trying to create a culture and pride that feels authentic to the specific location,” she told Elle magazine.

The bodyguards, known as Dora Milaje, wear beautiful, armor-like robes with sturdy and flexible pants under their tunics. Carter considered various African cultures for the fictional dress of Wakanda, including the red warrior color and materials of the Maasai people. Her costumes are breathtaking while still being fierce, with characters like Shuri holding their ground in clothing that is both athletic, functional, and tech heavy. The film’s costumes also lean heavy on Afrofuturism, as Wakanda is a technologically superior nation; Letitia Wright’s Shuri is a fashionable character who also wears her tech.

Sammy Sheldon, who also designed costumes for Ex Machina and X Men: First Class, is on board for this sci-fi film, adapted from Jeff VanderMeer’sSouthern Reach trilogy. The action focuses on a cast of women scientists (including Natalie Portman, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, and Jennifer Jason Leigh) on an intense expedition that goes terribly wrong—and unlike poor Bryce Dallas Howard, who had to race through the jungle in ridiculous heels for the duration of Jurassic World, they seem to have taken their style cues from Alien’s Ripley and Terminator’s Sarah Connor. The lead characters include a biologist, a psychologist, a surveyor, and an anthropologist—in other words, professionals used to being in the field, and that status is conveyed through the costume design.

The film’s first trailer shows the crew heading off their expedition in layers, backpacks, and hiking boots. And under those utility jackets, it’s all T-shirts and tank tops, sparing us from any low-cut shirts and mini shorts. Instead of garter belts with weapons or cat suits a la Resident Evil, these women look like they could take on the Appalachian Trail. Think less runway, and more REI.

As a video-game character, the busty, short-short clad Croft was a notorious sex symbol; she hardly lost that reputation when Angelina Jolie played her in the first Tomb Raider film, which again featured costumes by Lindy Hemming. (Jolie even wore a bra that boosted her up a cup size, in order to bring her proportions more in line with the animated Lara’s.)

But the latest video-game iteration of Croft, released in 2015, had her in more realistic garb—and de-emphasized the character’s chest. The next Tomb Raider film, starring Alicia Vikander, has taken a cue from this. Already we’ve seen production shots of Vikander in practical, functional cargo pants and boots, instead of short shorts and snug bodysuits. Vikander is also seen portraying Croft as a bike courier, dressed comfortably in a sweatshirt, sneakers, chino-like pants, and even protective gear—helmet hair be damned.

Depicting Lara as a more down-to-earth and practical adventurer in this new Tomb Raider may help her connect with a whole new audience: “I think people can identify with her for lots of different reasons, but for me I very much see her as a model for many young women,” Vikander told Vanity Fair in March. “She’s trying to carve out her place in the world and connect her future with her past. She also has a fantastic mix of traits—tough, smart, vulnerable. Plus, she’s kick-ass!”